Watermelon, baseball, cookouts, beach trips and fireworks: Does it get any better than summer? Summer is my favorite season for many reasons, but sitting in the sand with a warm summer breeze while watching fireworks takes me back to being a kid and the sheer joy summer entails.

The Fourth of July is also a day that unites all Americans. No matter where you live, it’s the perfect day to gather with family and friends, spend time outside and end the evening gazing upward at colorful explosions in sky.

But amid the excitement of finding the perfect perch to watch the fireworks display and the rush to beat the traffic after the show concludes, it’s easy to forget all the small pieces of cardboard and plastic that float back down to the ground after the amazing spectacle in the sky. Unfortunately, this debris can end up in our ocean, affecting the health of people, wildlife and economies.

Even in places where fireworks are not allowed on the beach, July Fourth is one of the busiest days of the entire year for our coastlines. A crowded beach not only means it may be tough to find a spot to set your towel, but it also means more trash.

So this week, I challenge you to spend not only one day, July Fourth, at your local shoreline or park, but spend two! Communities all over the country—from Seattle to San Diego and even Washington, D.C.—host beach, waterway and park cleanups on July 5. Volunteers head to the busiest spots to ensure the remnants of all our celebrations don’t end up in the ocean.

It’s time for the great American barbecues, picnics and parties that—along with patriotic music and fireworks—create great Independence Day memories.

Food, drink, décor and fireworks can mean a lot of trash—trash that often ends up in the ocean. That’s right, even if you live hundreds of miles from the ocean, trash from your area can travel down waterways to the sea, fouling the water and endangering wildlife.

How big is the problem? Last year during Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, volunteers picked up enough food packaging alone for one person to get takeout breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next 858 years.

So if you’re planning to entertain on July 4th, think red, white and especially blue: Keep these tips in mind for a clean and healthy ocean:

1. Ask guests to bring their own reusable cup. (Added benefit: They can easily identify their drinks if they set them down.)

2. Place a recycling bin in plain sight.

3. If you get take-out, ask the deli to put potato salad or fried chicken directly on your serving platter to reduce throw-away containers that become trash.

4. Replace plastic knives, forks and spoons with the real thing.

5. After the party, roll up your mini-flags and other decorations and put them away for next year instead of pitching them.

6. Pick up all fireworks fragments that fall to the ground for proper disposal.

Got another tip? Leave it for others in the comments section below. And enjoy the holiday!